Congress is Not a Career Act

Congress is Not a Career Act - Redefines "Member of Congress" under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) with respect to the exclusion from the meaning of "Member" of any Member of the House of Representatives, including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to Congress, who opts out of FERS, but only if he or she served as a Member before the enactment of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2004. Repeals the requirement of service before enactment of such Act. (Thus, allows Members to opt out of FERS benefits regardless of when they have been elected.)

Amends the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) Agency Contributions requirements to permit a Member of Congress to elect irrevocably, by written notice to the official by whom such Member is paid, not to receive TSP contributions.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 296 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 296

To allow Members of Congress to decline certain retirement benefits and 
    contributions by the Federal Government, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 15, 2013

  Mr. Nugent introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on 
   Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To allow Members of Congress to decline certain retirement benefits and 
    contributions by the Federal Government, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Congress is Not a Career Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTING MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THE OPTION TO DECLINE CERTAIN 
              BENEFITS.

    (a) Federal Employees Retirement System Opt Out.--Section 8401(20) 
of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking ``, and who'' 
and all that follows through ``2004''.
    (b) Thrift Savings Plan Agency Contribution Opt Out.--Section 
8432(c) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
        subsection, contributions under paragraphs (1) through (3) may 
        not be made in the case of any Member who makes an election 
        under subparagraph (B).
            ``(B) Any Member may, by written notice to the official by 
        whom such Member is paid, elect not to receive contributions 
        under this subsection. An election under this subparagraph--
                    ``(i) shall be effective with respect to pay 
                periods beginning on or after the date on which such 
                election is made; and
                    ``(ii) shall be irrevocable.''.
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